"Suicide" not to consider nuclear: EU commissioner

European Union (EU) economic and monetary affairs commissioner Joaquin Almunia has said it would be "suicide" not to consider the next generation of nuclear power, given the EU's energy needs, when speaking at a Europa press information session recently.

Almunia said: "Though I am very reticent regarding nuclear energy, I think that today, given that conditions have changed, it would be suicidal not to analyse anew under which conditions and guarantees the matter can be considered."

Foratom, the trade association representing the European nuclear industry, welcomed the announcement with director general Peter Haug saying the commissioner’s words "reflected the growing realisation among countries with a nuclear phaseout policy that the time has come to reconsider that policy in light of the increasingly-recognised contribution that nuclear energy, as part of an overall energy mix, can make to ensure a secure supply of environmentally-friendly and affordable energy."

We have updated our privacy policy. In the latest update it explains what cookies
are and how we use them on our site. To learn more about cookies and their benefits,
please view our privacy policy. Please be aware that parts of this site will not
function correctly if you disable cookies. By continuing to use this site, you consent
to our use of cookies in accordance with our privacy policy unless you have disabled
them.